Series: Mid Sussex Field Archaeological Team unpublished report series

Three trenches were excavated in order to investigate geophysical anomalies identified during a resistivity survey in 1995, at a site which lay close to a Roman cemetery. Many other Roman finds and suggestions of settlement activity had been found in the surrounding area. Within Trench 1, a layer of sandy soil containing numerous Roman pottery sherds and other finds was identified. Since the sherds were unabraded, this may have represented an occupation layer. A shallow feature containing many Roman sherds was also revealed, and a series of small stake-holes, possibly relating to use of the site as allotments, was observed. Mesolithic flintwork was recovered from below the Roman feature. A number of features were also identified within Trench 2, which was positioned to test an anomaly indicating a possible ditch. The line of the ditch, which contained Roman artefacts, was confirmed. A pit containing Roman pottery and three further features were also found. Trench 3 revealed a linear feature comprising flint and sandstone nodules associated with Roman pottery and tile, possibly representing the footings of a wall. The soil on either side of the feature appeared to have represented a fairly compact floor. A second linear feature could also have been a wall footing. It was concluded that, despite earlier fears that allotment gardening activity at the site would have destroyed evidence of a Roman settlement if present, significant Roman remains did exist. [AIP]